1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computers and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for indexing files within backup images.
2. Description of the Background Art
Enterprise data indexing for subsequent fast searching for compliance and discovery purposes has become important. A primary, fairly accessible source of enterprise data is a backup image. However, due to varying policies within corporations, the same data that is backed up can likely exist in multiple backups. Indexing the same file multiple times is very costly in machine and network resources as well as the actual time for the indexing process.
Single Instance Storage (SIS), where only one copy of any given file is backed up or archived at any given time is one option available to improve resource use within an organization. However, archiving and/or backing up only a single copy of a given file does not always fit the needs of every user or enterprise. Some users require that their entire enterprise data set be regularly backed up on a backup image so that the user can recreate the exact configuration of their enterprise data as it existed just prior to the execution of any given backup. There is a need, therefore, to address the above-mentioned problems.